​Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 is committed to fulfilling the obligations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The fundamental principle behind these federal laws is that students with disabilities are provided a free and appropriate public education in the least-restrictive environment. This means that the District has systems in place to identify, evaluate, and provide educational services to students with disabilities in a manner that is as similar to their non-disabled peers, as deemed appropriate.

Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 provides a full range of services designed to meet the needs of students from preschool (3-5 years old) through grade six. Children are eligible to receive special education and related services when the IEP team determines that the child meets state and federal eligibility criteria and requires special education services. Not all children with special needs require special education services. There are thirteen categories of eligibility for special education for school-age students: learning disability, speech or language impairment; intellectual disabilities; multiple disabilities; emotional disturbance; traumatic brain injury; autism; other health impairment; visual impairment; deafness; orthopedic impairment; deaf/blindness; and hard of hearing. The classification for preschool is: Preschool Child with a Disability.

Most students are served through District programs, including Consultant Teacher, Resource Room Programs, Integrated Co-Teaching Programs, Special Day Classes, and related services. Some students whose needs cannot be met in District programs are served in either other public school districts, BOCES, or nonpublic school programs.Child FindValley Stream Union Free School District 30 has an ongoing “Child Find” system, which is designed to locate, identify, and evaluate any child residing in a home, facility, or residence within its geographical boundaries, preschool (age 3) to grade 6, who may have a disability and be in need of Special Education or Section 504 services. This includes children who are not in school; those who are in public, private, or home school; those who are highly mobile, such as children who are migrant or homeless; and those who are advancing from grade to grade, who may need but are not receiving Special Education or Section 504 services.

Parents, relatives, public, and private agency employees, and concerned citizens are urged to help the Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 find any child who may have a disability and need Special Education or Section 504 services.

If you know of a child who lives within the boundaries of the Valley Stream Union Free School District 30, who may have a disability, and may need but is not receiving Special Education or Section 504 services, please contact Nicole Schimpf, Director of Special Services, at (516)434-3600, x532/533. The earlier we can begin the process of identifying whether a child is exceptional and in need of having specially designed instruction the earlier we can plan an appropriate education for the child.